“Every Problem Can Be Solved.”
For more than five decades, Lewis Maltby has built a remarkable career at the intersection of law, business, public policy, and organizational leadership. Widely recognized as one of the nation’s leading authorities on employment law and workplace rights, Lewis has devoted his professional life to helping organizations navigate complex legal, ethical, and strategic challenges while promoting practical solutions that strengthen both institutions and the people they serve. His unique blend of executive leadership, legal expertise, strategic planning, nonprofit governance, and international business experience has positioned him as a trusted advisor to corporations, government agencies, educational institutions, and nonprofit organizations alike. Throughout his career, Lewis has consistently demonstrated that thoughtful leadership, intellectual curiosity, and principled decision-making can create meaningful and lasting organizational impact.
Lewis currently serves as President of the National Workrights Institute, a nonprofit research and advocacy organization headquartered in Princeton, New Jersey, that is dedicated to advancing human rights in the American workplace while recognizing the realities of a competitive market economy. Under his leadership, the Institute has become a nationally respected resource consulted by members of Congress, state legislatures, employers, labor organizations, civil rights advocates, academic institutions, and media organizations on some of the most pressing workplace issues of the modern era. His work has influenced conversations surrounding employee privacy, workplace surveillance, arbitration, discrimination, genetic testing, biometric technology, labor relations, and emerging employment policies. His ability to balance legal scholarship with practical business considerations has made him an influential voice across multiple sectors.
Lewis’s journey into national leadership began long before the creation of the National Workrights Institute. In 1988, he became Director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s National Taskforce on Civil Liberties in the Workplace, where he developed strategic initiatives designed to strengthen workplace protections while working collaboratively with ACLU affiliates across the country. His leadership helped shape public policy discussions on employment rights and workplace privacy during a period of rapid technological and legislative change. When the Taskforce became an independent organization in 2000, Lewis successfully guided its transition into the National Workrights Institute, preserving its mission while expanding its influence and independence.
Before dedicating himself full-time to nonprofit leadership and public policy, Lewis established an impressive executive career in the private sector. As Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Drexelbrook Controls, an internationally recognized manufacturer of process control instrumentation, he played a central role in virtually every aspect of the company’s operations. His responsibilities extended well beyond legal counsel and included strategic planning, human resources, intellectual property management, marketing, international business development, and executive decision-making. Working closely with offices throughout North America, Europe, South America, and Asia—including significant leadership responsibilities in Japan—Lewis developed a global business perspective that continues to inform his strategic thinking today. His experience operating within international markets provides him with a nuanced understanding of cultural differences, cross-border business development, and global organizational leadership.
Throughout his career, Lewis has earned a reputation as an executive who embraces complexity rather than avoiding it. Whether advising corporate leadership teams, nonprofit boards, policymakers, or legal professionals, he is known for asking the difficult questions that others may overlook. His analytical approach enables organizations to identify underlying risks, anticipate future challenges, and develop sustainable long-term strategies. Colleagues consistently value his willingness to challenge assumptions while maintaining a collaborative and solutions-oriented mindset. This balanced approach has made him an effective strategic advisor and an invaluable contributor in boardroom discussions where thoughtful governance and sound judgment are essential.
Lewis’s influence extends well beyond organizational leadership through his substantial contributions to public policy and legislative reform. Over the course of his distinguished career, he has testified before numerous committees of both the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate on issues including electronic workplace surveillance, employment arbitration, labor relations, workplace privacy, drug testing, civil rights protections, and employment legislation. His testimony has helped lawmakers better understand the practical implications of emerging workplace issues and has contributed to informed policymaking on matters affecting millions of American workers. His ability to translate highly technical legal issues into practical policy recommendations has earned him widespread respect among legislators and public officials.
In addition to his legislative work, Lewis has served on numerous national advisory boards, commissions, and blue-ribbon panels focused on privacy, employment policy, dispute resolution, genetics, workplace technology, and civil rights. He chaired the National Working Group on Biometrics, Privacy, and Security, bringing together representatives from the Department of Homeland Security, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Hewlett Packard, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, and the Center for Democracy and Technology to develop responsible guidelines for the use of biometric technologies. He has also contributed his expertise through leadership roles with the American Arbitration Association, Privacy International, the National Conference of State Legislatures, the Office of Technology Assessment, and many other respected organizations. These appointments reflect both the breadth of his expertise and the confidence that national leaders have placed in his judgment.
Lewis has further distinguished himself as an accomplished educator, author, and public speaker. As an Adjunct Professor at Rutgers University Law School, Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations, and Temple University, he has taught employment law, workplace privacy, business law, and human resource management to future legal and business professionals. His passion for education reflects his belief that knowledge should not remain confined to academic journals but should instead empower leaders to make better decisions. His classroom experience has complemented decades of executive leadership by allowing him to mentor future professionals while continually refining his own understanding of evolving legal and organizational challenges.
His scholarly contributions have been equally influential. Lewis is the author of Can They Do That? Reclaiming Our Fundamental Rights at Work, published by Portfolio/Penguin, a widely respected examination of workplace rights in modern America. In addition, he has authored numerous articles appearing in prestigious law reviews and academic journals, including Columbia Human Rights Law Review, Boston College Law Review, William Mitchell Law Review, University of San Francisco Law Review, Labor Law Journal, and several others. His work has explored topics such as employment arbitration, contingent workers, wrongful discharge, workplace autonomy, privacy rights, and alternative dispute resolution. Collectively, these publications have established him as one of the leading intellectual voices in employment law and workplace governance.
Lewis’s expertise has also made him a highly sought-after media commentator. His insights have been featured on CNN, NPR, CNBC, CBS Morning News, ABC World News Tonight, Good Morning America, Larry King Live, 60 Minutes, Today, Voice of America, and numerous other national television and radio programs. He has delivered presentations before distinguished organizations including the American Bar Association, Society for Human Resource Management, United States Chamber of Commerce, Yale Law School, Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, Cornell University, Vanderbilt University, and the National Academy of Arbitrators. Whether speaking before policymakers, business executives, legal professionals, or students, Lewis consistently communicates complex issues with clarity, credibility, and practical relevance.
Now retired from full-time executive responsibilities but far from retiring his passion for leadership, Lewis is actively pursuing opportunities to serve on corporate, nonprofit, startup, and advisory boards. He believes that board service represents one of the most meaningful ways to contribute accumulated knowledge and experience toward helping organizations succeed. Having served in executive leadership, corporate governance, legal strategy, and public policy roles throughout his career, he understands the responsibilities of effective directors and appreciates the importance of independent thinking, strategic planning, ethical leadership, and long-term organizational stewardship. Organizations seeking a board member with exceptional legal insight, governance experience, international perspective, and proven strategic judgment will find in Lewis a thoughtful advisor who remains deeply committed to helping organizations solve difficult problems and seize meaningful opportunities.
Outside of his professional accomplishments, Lewis enjoys world travel and has developed a deep appreciation for international cultures through both business and personal experiences. He is a certified scuba diver and accomplished underwater photographer whose curiosity about the natural world mirrors the intellectual curiosity that has defined his professional life. He is also a published poet, demonstrating a creative dimension that complements his analytical thinking and reinforces his belief that effective leadership requires both logic and imagination. Fluent in both English and Spanish, and with extensive professional experience in Japan, Lewis brings a global perspective that enriches every organization he serves. Guided by his enduring personal philosophy that “Every Problem Can Be Solved,” he continues to approach every challenge with optimism, discipline, integrity, and a genuine desire to help organizations and people thrive.
Character:
Lewis demonstrates unwavering integrity in every aspect of his professional life, consistently placing ethics, fairness, and accountability at the center of his decision-making. He approaches every challenge with humility and respect while maintaining the courage to ask difficult questions that lead to better outcomes. His lifelong commitment to public service, workplace fairness, and organizational excellence reflects a character grounded in purpose and principled leadership.
Knowledge:
He possesses more than five decades of expertise spanning employment law, corporate governance, strategic planning, human resources, public policy, and international business. His extensive publications, congressional testimony, executive leadership, and academic teaching illustrate a depth of knowledge that few professionals achieve. He continually applies this expertise in practical ways that help organizations navigate complexity and position themselves for long-term success.
Strategic:
Lewis has repeatedly demonstrated the ability to evaluate complex issues from multiple perspectives and develop thoughtful, sustainable solutions. His executive leadership in both corporate and nonprofit environments reflects a disciplined approach to long-range planning, risk management, and organizational growth. He combines analytical rigor with practical judgment, enabling boards and leadership teams to make informed decisions with confidence.
Communication:
An accomplished communicator who has successfully addressed Congress, national media audiences, executive leadership teams, academic institutions, and professional organizations throughout his career. He has a rare ability to explain highly technical legal and policy issues in language that is clear, engaging, and actionable. His communication style encourages collaboration, thoughtful discussion, and informed decision-making across diverse audiences.
